Nature's Law
by xMYxDAYDREAMx
Summary: Annie Marks is used to causing trouble...but this is a whole other level. Pen-name previously XpippaX
1. Meeting Annie

**Hi all, this is a story for Emily who is my saviour now the computer has died :D Love you girlie, hope you enjoy this...okay so you've already read a lot of it...but I hope you'll enjoy the future chapters just as much xxxxxpip**

"Assault at Whitegate Shopping Centre, can anyone deal?" The voice rang out through all the radios. Beth snatched up hers quickly as she and Diane had been without a call for well over an hour and she was beginning to get bored listening to daytime radio programmes. Once they'd been registered as the assigned unit Diane swung the car around and they drove back they way they'd just been.

Beth pulled her hat on as she followed Di into the shopping centre and towards one of the security guards who directed them to one of the upper floors. Out of breath, Beth paused at the top of the steps and looked around before she caught sight of the crowd outside one of the large clothes shops. Barging through the crowd, the two women began to diffuse the situation. Di dispersed the crowd as Beth bent down beside the victim who was hunched in on herself, several cuts to her face and arms, a few of which were bleeding quite heavily.

"It's okay, I'm a police officer." Beth said softly as the young girl flinched when she rested a hand on her shoulder. "We need to get those cuts looked at, an ambulance has been called but do you mind me asking a few questions now?" She continued as the girl sat up, her back against the glass of the shop and she shook her head. "Okay first thing can I have your name and address."

"Annie Marks and I live at…err…no. 64 Parker House on the Jasmine Allen Estate." She replied, hesitating slightly when asked for her address.

"No offence Annie but you don't seem too sure about where you live." Beth smiled and Annie too grinned.

"Yeah sorry 'bout that, we've just moved from the other side of London, I was just about ready to give you my old address but then I remembered we're on the Jasmine Allen instead!" Annie said raising her eyebrows slightly.

"Okay well thank you for that Annie, the paramedics are here to take you away now. PC Noble and myself will follow you in the area car, we'll take you down to the station after you've been checked over so you can answer our questions if that's okay with you?" Beth asked as she helped Annie to her feet.

Two hours later, Annie was well bandaged up and was sitting in the soft interview room with a cup of tea clutched in her hands. "Okay Annie, can you just tell me what happened." Beth said leaning forwards to pick up her own cuppa.

"I was in Whitegate with a few mates, we finished our shopping and they went home. I was on my way to pick up lunch for Mum and me when I felt someone grab my bag from behind. I turned and ducked but he was struggling against me and then I felt him tear my jacket sleeve and he was lashing out at me with this knife…like a kitchen knife and I just let him have the bag and he ran off. People started crowding round me and then somebody phoned you lot." Annie said, a lot more bravely than before.

"You're doing great Annie, now can you remember anything distinguishing about his features, what was he wearing…things like that?" She asked and Annie bit her lip.

"He was about oh I dunno, 5ft8 or so. He 'ad on a red hoody and blue jeans so I didn't see his 'air but I did get a look a 'is face he was quite good lookin' actually!" Annie remarked making Beth chuckle.

"Would you recognise him if you saw him again?" Beth asked and Annie nodded smiling at her. "Okay you've been a great help to us Annie, we'll be in touch if we get more leads." She added as they walked through into reception. "You're quite far from the Jasmine Allen now, can I call someone to come and pick you up? You're Mum…or Dad?" She asked and Annie stiffened.

"No…no I could do with the exercise." Annie said sharply and she avoided Beth's eyes, walking over to the main doors not paying attention to anything but the floor so she walked straight into Will who was coming in the other way.

"Watch it." He said irritably and Annie stood frozen to the spot.

"Dad?" Annie whispered and Will turned round eyeing her suspiciously. He shook his head and turned the corner and sped through one of the coded doors rolling his eyes as he thought how stupid some of the kids brought in were and how they just loved to latch onto you so you could bail them out in the future…still he'd never been called Dad before, that was one to add to his list.

Annie slammed the door shut behind her and kicked her trainers off in the pile by the hall cupboard. She wandered in her socks through into the kitchen and flipped the switch on the kettle as she banged about the mugs and bowls on the work surface. A few minutes later she skidded through into the living room, a mug in each hand and the bowl of biscuits in her mouth. Emma looked up from the sofa and smiled as Annie handed her a mug of tea and the bowl. "What did you get today?" She asked eyeing Annie's bags that had been left by the door.

"Oh that, I just got a few t-shirt from Primark and a pair of pumps from New Look." Annie said offhandedly as she stole one of the chocolate digestives from Emma's hand. "Sorry I'm late." She said through a mouthful of crumbs. "I got assaulted at the shopping centre, had to go down the Nick to make a statement." She added as Emma frowned disapprovingly at her.

"You sure it's not just a cover story for you getting in trouble with the police again Annie?" Emma said in a tired voice. They'd only lived on the Jasmine Allen for a few months and already Annie had been down the police station about as many times as she'd actually been to school!

"No Ma, I've been a good girl today, even stopped Chanice nickin' stuff from Boots. The security guard was watchin' us…it woulda been well stupid." She said as Emma gave her an amused look. "I've got homework to do." She added as she stood up, taking her mug with her. Emma snorted and Annie laughed as well. "Okay so I'm gonna go phone Nathan." She said, knowing she could never lie to her Mum.

"Tea's at six." Emma said softly and Annie turned half way down the hall.

"Yeah, yeah I'll put the pasta on soon." Annie said looking down at her watch and then to the back of her Mum's head as she'd already began to watch TV again. "Mum…you know like about Dad and stuff…you said he was a police officer well I think I saw him today." Annie said and she could see Emma prickle even from where she was standing.

"Your Dad doesn't want anything to do with the two of us, you'd better just get used to it." She said robotically, just uttering the same sentence that she'd been parroting to Annie for the past fourteen years. She knew know it had been a mistake coming back to Canley, Annie being Annie was bound to run into her Dad at some point.

"No I really did see him. He looks just the same as in his picture. He hasn't aged a bit, he's still a PC though!" She said wrinkling up her nose. "PC Will Marks." She added feeling a sense of pride warm her stomach at the same time Emma felt guilt stab at hers. "I want to see him." Annie said decisively and Emma shot to her feet.

"You will not go anywhere near the man Annie. He has a right to his own life. He has the right to have nothing to do with you. We manage just fine on our own." Emma protested loudly.

"Oh yeah, we live off benefits and you're depressed all the time. We've got a great life!" Annie screamed, losing all patience with her mother as she stormed off down the hall, hearing the front door slam a few seconds after her own bedroom door.

From her bedroom window Annie saw Emma run sobbing along the walkway and over towards the stairwell, the sobs shaking her small frame. Annie pressed her palm to the window, had she pushed her too far this time?

**I tried to fight the feeling, the feeling took me down,  
I struggled and I lost the day you knocked me out,  
Now everything's got meaning and meanings bring me down,  
I'm watching as a screening of my life plays out.**

Every day I fight these feelings,  
For your sake I will hide the real thing,  
You can run all your life, all mine I will chase...


	2. Losing Emma

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter I love you guys, you give me faith in continuing with this fic although I don't think Em will let me stop...she'd probably come all the way up to Scotland to strangle me into continuing he he okay so maybe not that far but she'd plead...quite a bit maybe :P **

**He he yeah but thanks guys, seriously, it means a lot. Here's chapter two :D**

Annie paced the floor of the kitchen frantically. Her feet stuck slightly to the cool lino and made a slapping noise when they were placed back down on another section of the cheap, peeling floor covering. She heard a noise along the walkway and launched herself at the window only to see one of her neighbours disappearing into her own house. Annie let out a sigh and reached for the phone. Her stomach was doing back flips as she punched in the Sun Hill number from the back of the phonebook. The soothing voice on the end of the phone made her momentarily forget her problems until she realised they were asking her for details of what had happened.

Taking another rattling breath she began. "My Mum stormed out last night after we had a row. She doesn't normally do it but I…I think I pushed her too far last night. She's been gone for almost 24 hours now and she hasn't been in touch. I'm really worried about her. Can you help me find my Mum?" Annie asked, trying to control her emotions.

"Okay sweetheart, calm down for me. You're sure your Mum hasn't tried to get in touch. Right okay I'll get a few officers to come round and pick you up so you can give us a statement and they can check for anything unusual at the house. You did the right thing phoning us; we'll try and help sort this all out." The FDO said in the same level tone.

Twenty minutes later, Sam, Phil and Beth arrived on the Jasmine Allen Estate and began the long climb up the stairs to Annie's flat as the lift was in permanent disrepair. Sam wrinkled her nose at the smell of the stairwell and she listened to the crisp click of her heels on the floor. She banged on the door and they all waited outside feeling rather out of place as there was no need to get the cuffs out and considering that it was the Jasmine Allen, there was always a reason to get the cuffs out!

A small, tired figure answered the door hopefully but she sighed and let them into the flat as she saw it wasn't who she'd been hoping for. Sam and Beth followed the pyjama clad girl into the kitchen where she flicked on the kettle and drew out several mugs and tea bags. "Annie…Annie Marks wasn't it?" Beth said tilting her head to the side and looking at Annie.

"Yeah…Beth…Beth Green wasn't it?" Annie said playfully and then she remembered why they were there and she turned solemn again. "I know it's not often that someone from here…or someone like me is asking you lot for help but seriously I need my Mum back, she's all I've got." Annie said plaintively.

Sam's heart went out to her and she rested a hand comfortingly on her arm. "We'll do our best to find your Mum but you need to tell us everything you know that could be of any use. You might want to get changed first though…or is this some kind of Jasmine Allen trend?" She asked gesturing to Annie's pyjamas.

"Oh right no. I just didn't have time…I was standing at the window in case Mum tried to come back." Annie said sheepishly and she shuffled off towards her bedroom to get dressed. Ten minutes later she emerged looking more presentable. Phil, who had been standing in the living room did a double take as she walked past him. Annie looked far from the dishevelled girl who'd answered the door. Her hair was freshly curled, her makeup flawless and her clothes, although they were very "Estateish" looked fantastic on her and Phil had to remind himself that she was both underage and a victim.

For the second day running Annie sat in the soft interview room with a cup of tea clutched between her hands, a worried frown on her face. "So you had an argument with your Mum and she ran out of the house crying right?" Sam asked looking down at the short statement that Annie had just written. She nodded and Sam continued to scan the little that was on the page. "What was the fight about?"

"Dad." Annie said shortly. Beth and Sam sat looking at her, almost willing her to continue. "We were fighting because I thought I'd met my Dad but Mum said I wasn't allowed to contact him because he's not interested in me or her. He doesn't want anything to do with us." She elaborated slightly.

"Okay and your Mum has never done anything like this before." Sam continued trying to pace the interview so that Annie wouldn't clam up.

"No…not exactly no. She's gone away but she's always phoned or told me beforehand." Annie replied choosing her words carefully so it didn't make Emma out to seem like a bad mother.

"Right well I think you should fill out a missing persons form now, I think we have grounds to do that." Sam said reaching behind her and pulling out the form she'd picked up earlier just in case. "Right can you fill in your Mum's name, address and personal details here. If you write down yours as well then we can keep that on file in case we have to contact you in connection with it."

"Oh right…you've already got my details." Annie said as she picked up the biro and winked at Beth. "It's not like I haven't been in a police station enough times." In her loopy writing she inked her Mum's name and their new address. Sam picked it up from behind her and gulped loudly.

"Emma…Emma Keane?" She whispered softly looking between the paper and Annie and then back again. "I should have seen it before." She muttered and both Beth and Annie stared hard at her. "I knew your Mum when she used to work here…before she left. Left without a trace, nobody's heard from her since the phone call she made to her parents telling them she wasn't coming back." Sam said remembering the turmoil that it had put her family and fiancé in, not to mention Will, her best friend.

"Have you ever met your father, except for when you thought you had yesterday?" Sam asked, her voice hoarse and her throat dry.

"No…but I've always had a photo of him. It was the only one that Mum would let me have." Annie said pulling it out of her jacket pocket. It was a little worn around the edges now from years of wear and tear but it was still as clear as day who it was. "PC Will Marks." Annie said in the same proud tone as she'd used exactly 24 hours before, when her Mum had left the flat.

Sam coughed as she stared at the picture. There was no doubt about it, Will Fletcher's handsome face stared up at her, laughing at the camera, one arm around Emma's shoulders the other pointing at whoever had been taking the picture. So was Will really the father of Emma's now very grown up baby? Was that the reason she'd left? The real question though still faced her, where was Emma now?

"There's something else…I don't know if it makes a difference but see…for as long as I can remember well Mum's been on anti-depressants." Annie admitted looking shyly at the carpet. "She didn't take them with her." She added hollowly.

"Okay Annie." Sam said sitting back down and taking the young girl's hand. "And how bad is Emma's depression?"

"Bad. She tried to kill herself when I was three…and four…and ten…and again last year. Every time she'd not taken her medicine." Annie said, tears finally falling from her eyes and dripping slowly down her cheeks and now onto Sam's top.

"There, there darling, we'll find Emma, I promise." Sam said rocking Annie back and forth like a little kid. She knew she could find Emma…the question was could she find Emma not in a body bag? "Do you have any family you can stay with tonight?" Sam asked, beginning to think logically again.

"N…no…Mum told me her Mum and Dad were dead and her other family didn't want to know her. It's just me and her. We do just fine without them." Annie said sounding uncannily like Emma.

"Okay sweetheart well do you mind awfully if you stay up in CID for a bit before we can sort something out?" Sam asked helping Annie to her feet.

"No I don't mind…I'm starved though…I haven't eaten since last night!" She said as her stomach rumbled noisily.

"Course, Beth will you take her down to the canteen and get some grub in her, she'll waste away soon if she doesn't get some chocolate in her." Sam said laughing slightly as the two of them raced off down the corridor talking about what the canteen actually served that was edible.

**You should never fight your feelings**

**When your very bones believe them**

**You should never fight your feelings**

**You have to follow nature's law.**


	3. Discovering Will

**Thank you soooo soooo much to as1999 the only reviewer of the last chapter. It means a lot that you take the time to write a little something about it and encourage me to continue. Thank you so much love ya xxxxpip**

Sam picked up her case notes and passed Phil his lukewarm cup of coffee. "Why don't we take this through to my office, the chairs are comfier." Sam said softly as they left the incident room and walked through the near deserted CID. Reconvening in Sam's office, the spread all of the papers and leads out on the desk. There were a few grainy CCTV photos of Emma walking past the corner shop by her block on the Jasmine Allen just after she was reported to have left home, there was another of her getting on a bus not far away from the Station and a witness who swore they saw her buy a chocolate bar in an off-licence on the other side of Canley. None of which were much use to them.

Phil pulled the completed Misper report towards him, along with Annie's elongated statement. "For being from the Jasmine Allen this kid seems pretty alright." He murmured as he read through what she'd written.

"Yeah…you should see her record though…sounds like a completely different kid to the one we met today." Sam said as she looked at the file they had on Annie Marks which was quite lengthy given her age. "You know, what I really want to find out is why Emma ran away the first time…and how come someone like her ended up on one of the roughest council estates in London!" Sam said, recalling how proper Emma had always been when she'd worked at Sun Hill.

Getting to her feet, Sam stood at the window of her office looking over to Phil's desk where Annie was lying in his chair, curled up into a ball, fast asleep. Phil stepped up behind her and slid his hands round her waist. "Babe not here." Sam whispered as Phil began to kiss her neck softly. "Annie could wake up or anything." She added as Phil ignored her and continued to press soft butterfly kisses to her skin.

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door and Sam and Phil sprung apart nervously before Sam called for the person to come in. Will stepped into the office and stood nervously twisting his hands. "Take a seat Will." Sam said as she did the same opposite him. "Now this may come as a bit of a shock to you but Emma Keane is back in Canley…well at least she was until she went missing some time yesterday evening." Sam continued and Will's mouth dropped open.

"Emma's back." He whispered in disbelief, ignoring the fact that Sam had just said she was a missing person.

"Yes, it's definitely her. Now the other thing is that Emma has a child." Phil interjected seeing Will begin to faze out of the conversation. Will merely shrugged and smiled between the two of them. "Yeah…Will, Emma has a child who claims that you are it's father."

Again, Will's jaw dropped open. "But…but how is that possible. I haven't seen Emma in over fourteen years." He stuttered, casting his mind back to the day Emma had left, the last thing that she'd ever said to him.

"Exactly. Now nobody here knows precisely why Emma left but what we do know is that she has a child and…and Will it is yours." Sam said gently and Will paled, his eyes sliding out of focus a little as the realisation hit him. He mouthed wordlessly but Sam understood him. "Yes we're sure it's you Will. See when Emma's child was young there was a paternity test done. The DNA match that she gave which belonged to Matt Hinckley came back negative. Your DNA which we already have on file has been confirmed as the same as that of Emma's baby."

Will's head hit his knees with a soft thump and he sighed, so this was why Emma had left Canley all those years ago. He had known things were strained between Emma and Matt and that she felt guilty about what had happened between them, he had thought that the guilt had just gotten to her in the weeks leading up to her and Matt's marriage. Will had been upset, he'd done everything he could think of to get Emma back but that had been nearly fifteen years ago. He'd moved on…surely…surely not. In truth, although Will had been with several girls since Emma, none of which had lasted longer than a few weeks as he always broke it off. Nobody compared to her in his books, she was the only one for him even if she didn't return the feelings.

Finally Will raised his head and got to his feet. "So…where is Emma's kid?" Will asked awkwardly and Phil gestured out to the silent CID where Annie was still lying in the same position, her head on the armrest and her hands clasped round one of her knees. A lump caught in Will's throat as he looked out at his daughter who, now he saw her properly, was the spitting image of her mother. Her short blondie/brown hair fell to just below her chin and her features were all identical, she was like a clone of Emma.

Will paused by the door and shook his head. His daughter…god that was going to take some getting used to. Since Emma had gone missing, not a day had passed when he hadn't thought about her dreamt of her, about what she was doing, how she was. All this time, she'd been raising a child, his child.

Taking two steps out of the office, Will felt a hand on his forearm. He turned round and Sam looked puzzled. "Where are you going Will?" She asked gently, assuming he was about to flee CID and not return for some time, finding out you had a child wasn't exactly an easy thing to accept, especially not when you'd been out of the loop about it for over fourteen years.

Will grinned back and as he left the office he looked over his shoulder. "I'm taking my baby girl home."

**I live with never knowing**

**If knowing's going to change**

**I'll stop the feeling growing, I will stay away**

**Like a broken record stuck before a song**

**A million beginnings, none of them the one**

**Every day I fight these feelings**

**For your sake I will hide the real thing**

**You can run all your life**

**All mine I will chase...**

* * *

Please review...rapidly getting more disheartened. xxxpip 


	4. Loving Annie

**Thanks to Emma and as1999 for their support on the last chapter. Keep up the reviewing guys, I like knowing what you think of it :D xxxpip**

"Annie…sweetheart." Will said softly as he crouched down next to Phil's desk chair where his daughter was sleeping peacefully. "Annie it's time to get up." He continued, wondering slightly how many times he'd have said that and what a chore it would be now, if he'd been involved in Annie's life from the start. Millions of questions were playing on his mind as he watched her wake up slowly. What kind of girl was she? Was she sporty, arty, just plain girly? Did she have a temper, was she a troublemaker, how did she get on at school? His train of thought was broken only by the fact that Annie sat upright and rubbed her eyes, knocking him off balance slightly.

"D…Dad?" She asked softly and Will beamed. "You arsehole!" She screamed, reaching out and slapping him hard across the face. "Do you have any idea how much you've put Mum through, not wanting to be involved and everyfink?" She continued yelling but couldn't get any closer to Will again as Phil was restraining her.

"But…but Annie I only just found out you existed like ten minutes ago. Sweetheart I would never have left Emma to deal with a baby on her own, all I knew was the girl that I loved ran off and I haven't seen or heard from her since." Will cried out, shocked that Emma could have fed her daughter such lies.

"But…but Mum said you didn't want anything to do with us, that you chose not to see me. She said the only thing we've ever had in common is our last name…Marks." Annie said softly, the realisation that maybe her Mum wasn't quite telling her the whole truth dawning on her.

"Annie, my last name is Fletcher. Your Mum must have made up your last name so you'd have less chance of finding me." Will said, shuffling a bit closer to her as he did so. Annie looked shamefacedly up at him and ran her hand down his cheek.

"Sorry 'bout hitting you an' that." She murmured before she collapsed back into the chair. "So…erm…what do we do now?" She added, thinking that although Phil's chair was comfortable, it probably wouldn't be if she had to wake up in it again.

Will scratched his head and looked to Sam and Phil. "Well if it's okay with you then you can come back to mine, stay there until they find Emma. I don't think I'll need to have Social Services involved if we're sure that you're actually my daughter I mean, we're flesh and blood after all." He said and Annie's face lit up.

"Really! I can go home with you, I don't have to sleep at the Station. Thank god, I though they were going to put me in a cell because it's the only bloody place here with a bed!" Annie said leaping to her feet and hugging Will around the middle happily. Will looked down at the top of her head and patted it awkwardly.

"Yeah, let's go kiddo." He said as he herded her from CID, giving a brief wave over his shoulder to Sam and Phil who were still standing by his desk, looking highly amused. "You'll want to pick up a few things won't you?" Will said as he drove through the almost empty streets on Canley. "Where is it that you and Em stay anyway?" He added, looking sideways at Annie who was still nodding to his initial question.

"Huh? Oh right, it's Parker House on the Jasmine Allen." Annie replied quickly as she realised he was waiting for an answer. Ten minutes later, Will gripped his steering wheel tightly as he wound his way through the groups of kids loitering about on the estate. Annie hopped from the car and motioned across for Will to follow her into one of the more menacing looking blocks of flats.

"Oi Annie, wait up sexy." A boy called out as he reached for her arm, pulling her into a long lingering kiss before she pushed him aside blushing.

"Not in front of my Dad Nathan." She said as she saw Will clench his fists next to her. "I'll call you…coming?" She said, turning first to Nathan and then to Will as she began once again to climb the flight of stairs.

"Do you really think he's suitable Annie?" Will asked once they were left alone.

Whipping round, she fixed him with a stare so hard he actually got shivers. "Look Dad, I'm glad that you're here an' all but let's get one thing straight. You've known me for less than an hour; do you really think you have the right to pass judgement on my taste in boys?" She said crisply before she continued up the steps.

"I'm not judging Annie…I just…I know what the kids from here are like. I don't want you mixing with those kinds of people, that's all." Will soothed gently.

This however only angered Annie further. "What kinds of people? I've lived on estates like this all my life, as far as most are concerned I'm one of them. Don't you get all high and mighty on me either, so I've been in a cell a few times, what kid hasn't? Mum likes Nathan, she doesn't care that he's black or that he sometimes does things most people aren't down with. If he makes me happy then it's my choice." She said huffily as she stormed through the now open door of the flat.

"Annie…oh Annie I didn't mean nothin' by it, don't let us fall out over somethin' so daft. I'm sorry Annie. I'm sorry." Will called through the flat and he heard a brief pause in the crashing that was coming from her room as she thought about what he'd said. Wandering from room to room Will took in the state that his child had been living in.

When she'd left, Emma had waved goodbye to a life of luxury as well. Opening the cupboards in the kitchen as he searched for a clean glass he saw the mounds of pills and pulled a packet forwards for a closer look. Anti-depressants. Well that was a far cry from the Emma he'd known. Will replaced the packet on the shelf and turned his attention to the fridge where a solitary photo of Annie and Emma was stuck. They had their arms around each other and smiles plastered across their faces. Will ran his thumb across the photo of his two girls until he felt fingers closer around his own.

Annie smiled as she tucked the photo into her jacket pocket, leaving Will to pick up her bag from the floor. "You got everything?" He asked as Annie raked through the kitchen cupboards. She drew out a chocolate bar and added that to her pocket before nodding. Printed neatly on the underside of the bar was the word 'Emergencies' in Emma's writing.

When the car pulled up outside Will's, Annie's eyes widened. All her life she'd been content with her and Emma's 'just getting by' lifestyle. They had everything they needed, a flat to live in, food to eat, each other to love. The Jasmine Allen was just another estate Annie had lived on and frankly, after fourteen years she'd come to appreciate the 'concrete jungle' and the many characters you'd find living there but Will's place…that was like the places she and Emma had dreamed of living in.

Will pushed her gently through the door so they were both standing in the warmth of the hallway. "You'll probably want to get unpacked won't you?" Will asked awkwardly as Annie looked around, her eyes like saucers. "Follow me, you can have one of the spare rooms…first floor or attic?" He asked when they stopped at the top of the stairs. Annie shrugged shyly and let Will choose for her. He pressed a switch on the wall next to him and the trapdoor slid out of place, the large wooden ladder creeping down slowly, the light from the attic creating the clichéd heaven staircase effect.

"I just finished it…there should be everything you need. Give us a shout if you want anything though." Will said as he turned and made his way back down to the kitchen.

Annie slowly ascended the stairs, pausing at the top to see the gorgeous room for the first time. The deep red walls gave it warmth while the sanded floorboards, skylight windows and furniture made it look like it was straight out of a home improvements magazine. Annie hauled her bag up through the trapdoor with her and wandered about, taking in the unfamiliar sights and smells.

Annie placed her bag down gently on the bed and continued to look around her in awe. Her little bedroom at home was nice but it was nothing compared to this. Reaching into her bag, Annie began to unpack the items she'd taken with her. After she'd folded her clothes up and stashed the in the wardrobe, Annie began to rearrange her alarm clock, photo frame and notebook on the nightstand. Shoving her blanket and pyjamas under the pillow, Annie put her hand back into the bag and pulled out something she hadn't put there, one of Emma's old jumpers fell out and Annie buried her face into the material.

Will's voice floated up the stairs as Annie was tugging the jumper down over her ears. "Annie, there's food downstairs if you want it." He called as Annie was already climbing backwards down the ladder. She padded into the living room and sank down next to Will, pulling the plate of lasagne towards her.

"That was great…I never imagined you could cook." Annie remarked as she lay back on the sofa feeling warm and sleepy.

Will chuckled softly. "Well you have me Mam to thank for your tea, I can cook some stuff but she still likes to leave things in my freezer!" He said and Annie cracked up laughing. "I guess you'll want to meet her, she is your Nan after all." He continued, smiling as he recalled how often his Mum had moaned that she'd never get grandchildren outta him!

"Yeah…so…so you really never knew I existed." Annie asked realising that after fourteen years of pestering; she might actually get the full story of her existence.

"Mmmm yeah. It was quite a shock, I thought I was just gonna get a bollocking from the DI and all of a sudden I'm being told that I have a teenage daughter and she's waiting for me!" Will replied, shaking his head in disbelief.

"So you don't know why Mum left the first time. Sam told me she ran away before I was born and nobody has seen her since." Annie said and Will sighed thoughtfully.

"Yeah that's true. I don't know exactly why she ran away but now I know about you I can hazard a pretty good guess. See Annie, Emma was with a guy called Matt when she first arrived at Sun Hill which was a bit of a bummer for me 'cause your mother was gorgeous. We were friends for over six months before we kissed but your Mum wasn't happy about cheating on Matt so that was the last of it for a while. Then one night she came round to mine, she'd fallen out with Matt so we…err…well apparently that was the night we made you." Will said blushing towards the end, making Annie giggle.

"So what was the problem…you loved Mum and she was pregnant with me…why didn't you stay together?" Annie asked naively.

Will shifted on the sofa so had Annie wrapped in a one-armed hug. "Well kiddo, by the time she must have found out she was pregnant with you, she was already engaged to Matt. I guess she knew it was mine and couldn't see any way out except to run away. As upset as I was when she left, I'm so glad I've got a chance to be part of your life now Annie." Will said sincerely, something that didn't often happen.

"Me too…I love you…Dad." Annie whispered into his chest as her eyes fluttered closed. The guilt, the worry, everything was just slipping away now she was in Will's arms. At that point in time, she had more in common with Emma than she could ever realise.

**You should never fight your feelings,  
When your very bones believe them,  
You should never fight your feelings,  
You have to follow nature's law.  
**


	5. Missing Emma

**Thanks to Emz, Emma and as1999 for their kind words on the last chapter. Especially to Emily who has been reading and giving her comments on the future chapters, couldn't have done it without ya babes :P xxxpippa**

"Annie." Will said softly as he watched his daughter eating cornflakes across the breakfast table from him.

"Yes Dad." He heard her reply which was still sending shivers down his spine, he reckoned it would take some getting used to but he was definitely on his way.

"You'll be at Hamilton Green won't you? So I take it I'll have to write you a note about not havin' school uniform." Will said logically provoking a sigh from Annie. "Come on Annie be fair, I know going to school is the last thing you feel like doing now but I don't think I've got another option. I'm not allowed to leave you here alone and I can't take time off at this short notice."

"Yeah, yeah fine I'll go." She said grumpily as she clattered her dishes about at the sink, beginning to do the washing up out of habit.

"Leave it Annie, I'll do that later." Will muttered as he began to collect his things.

"But…but I always do it for Mum. She…oh never mind." Annie whispered, tears pricking her eyes as she thought about Emma, where she was, what she was doing. After another ten minutes of huffy silence Will and Annie both got in the car with everything they needed and he drove them quickly to the gates of Hamilton Green where she turned and waved bye, sticking out her tongue cheekily at the last minute and sending Will off to work with a little smile on his face.

Half way through maths Annie felt her phone buzz in her pocket and she slipped it out discreetly to read the message.

_Hi Annie jst to let u know that u should cum down the station aftr school cuz u don't hv a key yt. U know where it is rite:P love Dad xxx_

Sliding the phone back into her pocket Annie felt the cold stare of a teacher on the top of her head and she looked up angelically, even managing to conjure a few tears quickly as she thought of how to get out of her currently sticky situation. "I'm sorry Miss but…but I…I thought it might be Mum." She said in a sweet girly voice that normally would have made her feel sick just attempting. The teacher's face softened and they even reached out to squeeze her shoulder in comfort.

The next period passed quickly for Annie and before she knew it she was down the road with the girls, nothing ever happened during fourth period anyway. Annie lounged backwards, her head resting on Nathan's lap as a joint was passed around missing her out each time. "Come on Annie, lighten up a bit babes." Tania said as she waved it in front of her face making her gag at the pungent smell.

"Yeah, how come you're so boring now? Just 'cause your Dad's coppa scum doesn't mean you have to get all straight 'n' narra does it?" Kaysha butted in, staring hard at Annie to see if she could provoke a reaction. Annie just gave her the evils and leant up to kiss Nathan who Kaysha had had a major crush on for the past few months. Before she knew it there was a bottle lying in her lap filled with what most definitely wasn't water. "Go on then, or are ya too chicken to do tha' too?"

Annie looked between the bottle and her friends and back to the bottle again. Screw her Mum, screw her Dad, screw everybody, Annie was Annie so she was going to have a good time. Unscrewing the cap she downed several swigs of the vodka, each one burning her throat more but just leaving that satisfying feeling in the pit of her stomach. Eventually it was prised away from her so others could have some but Annie had drunk far too much already and was as high as a kite.

Less than an hour later, Annie was sitting in the reception of Hamilton Green, Will sitting next to her in his police uniform, the pair of them together attracting many strange looks. Her teachers tutted as she walked past and her classmates jeered but Annie didn't care, being hauled back into school by her Dad's workmates had been sobering enough but having him called to an emergency meeting between them and the head master was twice as bad.

Eventually Mr O'Neil poked his balding head out around his door and called for them to join him in the office. Will sat awkwardly on the chair and Annie draped herself lazily over the one beside it but one look from her Dad was enough to make her sit up with a straight back and wipe the smirk off her face. "Now Annie, truanting and underage drinking are not wise things to be doing are they? A smart girl like you should know that and after all your mother and father won't be especially pleased either." He started saying but Annie had already zoned out, she'd already had this 'talk' from a million and one other head teachers only at all those meetings Emma had been present and as inattentive as Annie was.

When they got out of the office Will was in such a bad mood that he didn't even speak to Annie, the whole time he was driving her to his. She was in no fit state to be at school although Will didn't exactly want to leave his drunk fourteen year old at home either! Trailing through into the living room, Annie threw herself down face first onto the sofa in a temper and although he was mad at her, Will couldn't help but feel sorry for her too. "Annie…honey I know you're upset about your Mum but you can't act like this and expect to get away with it." He said as he sat on the edge of the coffee table.

Annie just shrugged him off and stormed up the stairs to her room, making sure she banged her shoes down hard with each step making Will wince as he thought what it was doing to his floors. On arrival back at work Gina didn't even reprimand him as he looked so down hearted as he trudged up the stairs to CID as Phil and Sam had requested him as he was a mine of information on Emma before she'd left fifteen years ago but they never actually ended up talking about Emma, conversation always seemed to dip back to their fourteen year old daughter. "So…how's Annie settling in?" Sam asked gently as Will rubbed his hands across his face.

Pausing, Will just stared off into space as he pondered his answer. "Well…her and the locals off the estate are getting on like a house on fire and I've already had a meeting with the head today about her drinking habits so yeah she's doing just fine. Apparently Emma would have let her get away with it so she doesn't see why I have to be so angry. It's just so hard, she's off the rails and I don't know how to bring her back because I barely even know the first thing about her. She's my daughter for god's sake, I should be the one who knows her inside out." He said finally and left the room before either Phil or Sam could speak.

"Poor bloke." Phil muttered "So are you free for dinner tonight Sam, I was thinking about the little restaurant near my house?" He asked once he was sure nobody was lugging in.

"Oh shoot, I completely forgot to tell you. Abi and Jared are staying, she phoned last night to say that she needs a place to crash for a few weeks until she can get something sorted. She's supposed to be meeting up with a few old friends tonight, I promised I'd look after Jared." Sam said apologetically and Phil's face fell before a new idea popped into his head.

"Well, we could always look after him together if you want, get in a takeaway and watch some telly." Phil reasoned and Sam chuckled softly. "So what's she doing back anyway?" He added, curious why after so many years Abi was returning.

"Oh she finished Uni up North but she's looking to do a post-grad course in Primary Teaching and then once she gets a job she'll need somewhere for Jared to stay when she's busy so it looks like I'll be playing Mum again. She just wants to be closer I think, she's found it harder than she's letting on to everyone." Sam said as she perched herself on the edge of Phil's desk, looking dreamily at the picture of the two of them which had been taken only a few months previously at a work do. "Abi…Abi, of course Abi can help with Annie!" Sam exclaimed as a few ideas slotted into place in her mind.

Twenty minutes later and after much persuading on Sam's side, they'd negotiated that Abi would go round and check on (not baby-sit) Annie and Sam would look after Jared as much as Abi wanted her to in return. "Oh Will, I've found you someone who can help with the Annie problem." Sam said as she passed him the corridor and dragged him sideways into an interview room. "My daughter Abi is just back from Uni, she's great with kids and teens, she's offered to check in on her in the time between when she gets home from school and you get home from work, you know have a chat with her, check she's coping alright. She might just need another girl to talk to you know."

Will's mouth opened and shut a few times before he wrapped his arms tightly around Sam and rested his head on her shoulder, having to bend a few inches to do so. "Thank you soooo much Sam, you have no idea what this means to me. I just don't know how to deal with her. Thanks, thanks again." He garbled as they drew apart and he rushed off down the corridor, the weight lifted from his shoulders now he knew there was someone else he could rely on. Who knew that a fourteen year old could be so much trouble?

**I wrote her letters and tried to send them,  
In a bottle I placed my hope,  
An SOS full of good intentions  
sinking,will you give it to me,don't make me wait**


	6. Aiding Will

**Thanks to Emz (as usual :P), Emma and as1999 for their lovely words on chapter five. There isn't much more to this fic :( enjoy xxxx**

"Mum why do I have to come, you could have left me at home on the Playstation, I'm fifteen for god's sake I can take care of myself." Jared moaned as he got moodily from the passenger side of Abi's car.

"We're here as a favour to Mum. One of her colleagues is having a rough time of it and his daughter is probably finding it hard as well, I just said I'd drop by and check she was alright every now and then." Abi replied slamming the door behind her in anger.

Annie stood in the large bay window, watching them arguing all the way over from the car. When she let them in however, they were textbook polite and she couldn't quite get over how attractive Abi's son was even though she had a boyfriend of her own. "So Dad's got you spying on me as well." Annie muttered as she sank into the sofa and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Not spying Annie, your Dad's not really sure what's going on with you just now and he thought it might help if I dropped in every now and then to see how you're coping. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to but I'm here to talk if you do." Abi replied motioning for Jared to bugger off into the kitchen to leave them alone.

Annie flicked her hair over her shoulder and fixed Abi with a hard look. "I don't need nobody to look out for me, I can take care of both me and my Mum I have done for fourteen years, I'm not suddenly incapable just because she's gone." She said haughtily and Jared stuck his head around the doorframe.

"See Mum, I told you she wouldn't want us here and get my point, she can look after herself and so can I. We're not stupid little kids who need babysat." Both Abi and Annie looked around at Jared who blushed under their stares and crept back into the kitchen where he was rifling through the cupboards.

"Yeah anyway so how are you liking Will's place, it's a bit of a leg up isn't it?" Abi said as she motioned around her to the expensive furniture and entertainment centre. "I know I'd find it a bit of a shock, Jared and I have been living in a council house for yonks and being back with Mum is quite a change."

"S'pose. I like our flat though. Mum and me did stuff our way and we never had any bother except for the noisy neighbours but we just turned our music up twice as loud, it was like a game when I was little. I feel weird in Dad's house…like I shouldn't touch nothin' in case it breaks." Annie admitted picking at her fingernails.

"I'm sure your Dad understands but he'll just want you to be comfortable living here, living with him. Although I don't think your drinking habits are something he's comfortable knowing about." Abi said gently.

"Well he should keep his nose outta my business then!" Annie retorted, sounding more like her usual self than she had done in quite a while. "I know he's angry but I am who I am and if that means bunkin' off school an' getting pissed then fuck him, I'll do what I want." She said hotly.

"Kay Annie, chill for a second. Your Dad's angry but he cares about you, he just wants you to be safe and happy and he doesn't see you being that while you're in trouble at school and with the police. Just take a minute and think about it from his point of view. He loves you, he doesn't want you taken away because other people might think he can't look after you properly." Abi said as she stood up having heard an ominous clatter from the kitchen. "Jared, did you break somethin'?" Abi yelled and Jared appeared at the door very red in the face.

"Err no…I just dropped the egg timer." He muttered as he scuttled over towards the front door.

"What were you? Oh never mind, I'll be in tomorrow after you get back from school Annie…although I might leave the numpty behind…if you need me then give us a phone." Abi said exasperatedly as she pressed a slip of paper with her mobile number scrawled across it into Annie's hand.

The young girl stood in the window again and waved off Abi and Jared who appeared to have began arguing the moment they'd got back in the car. She stood there for a long time, so long she lost track of it and was surprised one time to look out and see that it was in fact now pitch black and the streetlights were on. Still she stood there at the window, watching, waiting until she was startled by the living room door being opened by Will who had just returned from work.

He sank down onto the sofa and placed his head in his hands, sighing softly but Annie heard it and she wandered across to him, having thought long and hard about what Abi had said. "I'm sorry Dad…for today…and for getting myself dumped on you like this. I know it's not what you imagined so…so I'm sorry." She said, perching herself on the edge of the coffee table.

"Oh Annie, whatever gave you that idea sweetheart. I know I was angry with you but I have to get used to you, just as much as you have to get used to me. We both have to make changes so we work together, you aren't what I imagined baby girl, you're better, much much better. I wouldn't want you any other way. Don't you ever think, not for one minute that I don't want you." Will replied, causing Annie to swallow hard to stop herself getting over emotional. "I know that you're finding Emma being gone tough but I'm here to help Annie, I know what it feels like when she leaves you…it happened to me as well."

"She's disappeared before…just not for this long without letting me know where she was. She always found help when she needed it. We always managed just fine." Annie said, trying to trick herself into thinking everything would work out like it used to.

"Annie, you don't have to be so hard all the time. It's okay to admit that it's shaken you up and that you miss her. I miss her, I miss her every day Annie." Will said, shocked that his daughter was being so flippant about Emma's disappearance, but it was only then that he noticed the steady stream of tears that were flowing from Annie's eyes.

"I miss her too. I just want her back so much. She's always been there, it was just me and her and she was everything I had. I need her. I need my Mum." Annie whimpered, finally cracking and Will's scooped her off the coffee table and cradled her in his arms, her tears soaking through his t-shirt quickly.

Two hours later, Will moved his head to the side and felt the sharp twinge from where he'd been lying at a funny angle for the past while. Picking up the warm lump that was still in his arms, he carried her up the stairs and up the ladder to her bedroom. Placing Annie gently on the bed and covering her with a blanket, he crept back down the steps and headed for his own bedroom, the past few hours consoling Annie having drained him of all energy.

Waking suddenly Annie looked about her and in the dim glow of her bedside lamp she saw the blanket that Will's had pulled over her had been kicked off, leaving her cold on the bed, the reason for her waking. Her eyes were in agony, they felt dry and prickly and were hot against her fingertips. Crawling silently down the ladder she slipped into Will's room and got under the covers next to him just like she used to do with Emma.

He wasn't replacing her but he was helping to fill the hole that Emma's absence had made inside of her and he was doing a damn good job of it too.

**You build me up, knocked me down,  
But I will stand my ground,  
And guide this light that I've found**


	7. Needing Annie

**Sorry it's been such a long time, hopefully you'll bare with me, there should be another update this week...and then one the next week and that'll be the end of this fic :D Thanks to as1999 and Emma for reviewing and as always to Emzii for her kind words, proofreading and excitement about things that I feel aren't working any more. Such an ace mate, dunno what I'd do without you hun xxx (enjoy!)**

Will sighed as he wandered around the outside of Canley shopping centre, thoroughly bored by the day's work so far. It was hardly as though returning a six year old to her mother in the shops was in his line of work and as for directing some foreign students, he was wasting his time as they barely understood English and moved on to ask the next passer by as soon as he'd walked off. Turning down into one of the back streets he heard his radio crackle into life and automatically pressed down on the button so he could speak back.

"All available units from Sierra Oscar, reports of a woman acting suspiciously on top of the Miller Street Multi-storey Car Park. Can anyone deal?"

"Sierra Oscar from 543 show me dealing." Will said as he began to run along the road towards the sign to the car park. He felt the ground tearing away beneath his feet and before long he was running up the stairs, his footsteps echoing as he went. His heart was beating so quickly in his chest, he swore that it was about to burst as he reached the top step and flew through the outside door a blast of cold wind hitting him in the face.

A small lone figure was standing by the edge, holding on tightly to the railings and sobbing so hard she was in danger of falling over without meaning to. Although he hadn't seen her in nearly fifteen years Will still knew it was Emma. She hadn't changed a bit. "Sierra Oscar from 543 I require assistance at the top of the Miller Street Car Park, it looks like Emma Keane…I think she may jump." He whispered into his radio and then pulled out his mobile phone at the same time, dialling in Annie's number.

"Annie sweetheart, I think I've found your Mum. I need you to come help me. I'm at the Miller Street Car Park can you get here fast, I need you to talk her down because I don't think she'll want to hear anything from me." He said softly and then proceeded to soothe Annie as she ran out of class, disturbing her teachers and pelted down the high street towards where Emma and Will were.

Annie could feel her heart beating in her ears, her stomach in her throat, nothing where it was supposed to be. Stopping briefly by a large refuse bin she threw up and then continued running much to the confusion of the shoppers. Tearing across the road Annie narrowly avoided a large truck that swung round the corner and she dodged in between people on the street. There was only enough space in Annie's mind to register some of the comments she was getting from passers by, as the rest of it was taken up with all the moments in her life when she'd needed Emma most.

She could imagine Emma's fingers closing around her own as she lay in the hospital bed waiting to have her appendix removed at four years old, her first nativity play at five where she'd had a few lines that Emma had painstakingly taken the time to teach her so she knew them off by heart when it came to performance time. So many other defining moments whizzed by but she couldn't help but marvel at how much she really did need her Mum and how she'd gone all these years without noticing it.

Will took a few steps forwards and the door to the car park slammed closed behind him causing Emma to jump around terror contorting her pretty face. "Emma…Emma it's me Will. I just want to talk to you Emma, I won't hurt you." He said as he approached and Emma backed herself further into the wall.

"I can't trust you, you don't love me, and you didn't even try to find me." Emma sobbed as she hoisted one leg up over the wall. "I've got nothing to live for now…my baby…my Annie's gone. She left a note on the table saying she was staying with you. She won't love me any more…she'll just want you because I can't give her anything she wants." Emma continued as she swung the other leg over the edge, standing on the very thin piece of metal that protruded from the wall of the car park. Her fingers tightened around the railings and he could see that they were already blue with cold.

Will felt a hand on his elbow and he turned to see Annie standing beside him with tears pouring off her cheeks thick and fast. "How could you think that Mum. I love you both but it's always been you that's been there for me, raised me, loved me like you should. I don't care that you can't give me all the new things that I want, I don't need them, I just need you." She said in a choked up whisper as she joined Emma at the railings.

"I'm sorry Annie but I can't…I just can't go back to the way we were." Emma cried, unable to look her daughter in the eyes as watching her in so much pain was twice as bad as what she herself was feeling inside.

"Well if you're going to end your life then I have nothing to live for either. If you go then I go because I can't live without you Mum." Annie sobbed and she quickly jumped over the railings to join Emma on the precarious edge.

"Oh Annie don't make this harder than it has to be. You have your whole life to live sweetheart, you don't need me, you've got your Dad now." Emma sighed, taking a hold of Annie's limp hand so her own hold on the railings became very dangerous indeed.

"I've got a life ahead of me…and one below me. Neither of them are worth anything unless you're with me. I might have all these things to do but none of them will mean anything unless you're right by my side cheering me on, picking me up and helping me through it all. I love you Mum, I don't want to live without you." Annie replied, her vision becoming blurred as tears clouded her eyes.

Emma sniffed loudly and pulled one of her legs back over the wall, still hanging on tightly to Annie's hand. The other one followed and Annie too returned back to the safety of the car park much to Will's relief. He swooped in to embrace Annie who at the same moment had reached out to hold Emma close and they ended up mashed together, all three of them hugging, all three of them crying.

Annie ducked under Will's arm and stood back watching for the first time in her life, her parents hugging each other. They were each sobbing so hard that they could no longer support themselves or each other and they sank to the floor in a heap, Emma's head buried in Will's chest, his hands entangled in her hair. Annie's own tears trickled down her face, tears mixing with her make up, mixed tears of happiness and sadness.

**You should never fight your feelings,  
When your very bones believe them,  
If you let them show, you'll keep them  
I know you hurt, but soon you'll rise again, again, again...**


	8. Healing Emma

**Thanks so much to laughter.is.the.best.medicine and as1999 for their lovely reviews :) this is for you guys. And to all of those people who read the last chapter and didn't review :( does it take that long to tell me what you thought after all I did spend quite a lot of time (as everyone on fanfic does) thinking up these ideas and penning them. It's only fair isn't it??? xxxpip**

Emma and Will were still sitting in a heap, crying and holding tightly onto each other as Phil and Sam appeared at the top of the cark park. Sam rushed across to where Annie was standing scuffing her trainers and enveloped her in a hug. "Are you alright sweetheart?" She asked, bending down slightly to get a closer look at the troubled teen.

Annie quickly swiped away her tears before looking back up at Sam. "Yeah…yeah I'm fine. I was just worried about Mum." She said, her voice still wavering dangerously about to give away her mood.

"Well she's fine now, I think that your Dad is about to take her down to the hospital to get her checked over and so they can sort out her medication." Sam said as she steered Annie towards her and Phil's CID car. Sure enough, two minutes later Smithy pulled up in the area car and Will helped Emma into the back of it before he joined Smithy, Sam and Phil who were standing about discussing what had actually happened.

They all turned to Will who laughed nervously and then launched into an explanation without even being prompted because their stares were so penetrating. "I got that call out from CAD about the woman on the top of the car park and I just…I don't know how but I knew it was Emma so I ran all the way up and phoned for back up and I also called Annie. I wasn't making any head way with her…she actually climbed over the railings while I was speaking and then all of a sudden Annie was at my elbow and she…and she climbed over the edge with Emma and said that if Emma killed herself then she would too…because she didn't want to live without her."

"Jeez…poor kid." Smithy muttered as he cast a look over at Annie who was sitting up in the backseat, trying to get a better look at Emma in the car behind her.

"Yeah…it worked though. Emma came back over and helped Annie with her. I think it just shocked her back into thinking straight but I really do need to get her down the hospital…something tells me she's not been taking her medicine like she should recently." Will replied as he headed back over to the area car, Smithy following behind.

Annie sat on the table swinging her legs back and forth and Sam and Phil ran out of things to say. They were sat pretty close together and Annie squinted at them. "Something wrong Annie?" Phil asked nervously as he watched her scrutinise them.

"Oh no…nothing…but I thought that DI's weren't supposed to screw their DS's." Annie said making them both choke in surprise and look wildly around for some sort of obvious indication that they were going out. "God guys…you're supposed to be detectives…like know how to disguise stuff because your job is to work it out! Hey do you think I could become one when I'm older?" She continued and gradually Sam and Phil began to smile.

"Annie darlin' I think you could become one today." Sam sighed exasperatedly. "Oh and not a word about me and Phil to anyone mind…your right…its err frowned upon to say the least!"

Annie winked and bounced off down the stairs in the direction of the canteen where she sat at the table with a man she vaguely recognised but she couldn't quite place. "So Missy, I hear you're a right little hero!" He said extending his hand towards her and shaking it politely, a twinkle still in his eye.

"How do I know you?" Annie asked in confusion.

"Well I don't know if you do sunshine, I'm Dan, your Dad's best mate. Used to work back here a good fourteen to fifteen years ago with both your Mum and Dad but I'm only just back from Ibiza. Heard all about you saving Emma's life though, your just like her, a brave girl." He said smiling across the table at her.

Annie grinned back shyly. "Mum used to talk about you sometimes…when she was happy she used to tell me stories about you and Dad and her friend…Honey was it? She said you always made her laugh…that she missed you. So you lived in Ibiza then…bet that was nice!"

"Yeah it was great, plenty of sun, sand and girls." Dan said dreamily before he heard Annie sniggering in the background. "Yeah, yeah Missy there were plenty girls."

"I believe ya." Annie replied smirking.

"So…I think I've got some photos of your Mum and Dad together somewhere in my locker…you can come and take a look if you want?" Dan offered as he got to his feet, pushing his coffee back across the table. "Tell you what, I'll meet you in the soft interview room if you know where that is, that way you can sit at peace and not be bothered by the mob." He said gesturing to a bunch of young PCs who were pointing and talking in hushed voices about them.

"Yeah…I'd like that Dan." Annie replied as she sauntered off down the corridor to a room she was getting to know quite well now. Twenty minutes later Annie pointed to a photo and laughed. "I never knew that she was like that before." She said as she saw her Mum flashing a cheeky grin at whoever was holding the camera as she tried to manoeuvre herself around the twister mat.

"Yeah you should see the next one then!" Dan chuckled as he flicked over and Annie saw that Emma must have fallen as she was lying on top of Will looking very cosy, a long line of tequila shots standing empty on the coffee table standing as the cause for their 'friendly' behaviour. Annie's phone began to buzz and she stood up, taking it to the other side of the room so she could speak in private as Dan flicked over to the doubles that he had of some of the best photos. Coming to the last one, his favourite one of Will and Emma he considered it a moment before removing it from the others and leaving it sitting on the arm of the sofa.

Annie bounced back across to him. "Dad says he's coming to pick me up, he's just dropped off Mum at hers and she said she'd like him to stay with us for tonight. The doctors have sorted out her medicine so everything's gonna be great." Annie said happily and Dan nodded, his grin widening with every word. It looked like Emma was getting back on track. At the front door of the building Dan paused and then handed over the photo to Annie who's eyes filled with tears and she threw her arms around Dan's neck. "Thank you." She breathed as she kissed his cheek softly and ran across the car park to where Will was standing waiting. At the last moment she turned and waved and Dan smiled as he saw Will's eyes flick up and connect with his.

Will did a double take. "Dan?" He shouted before he ran towards him, almost knocking him flying as he leapt on him, tackling him a huge bear hug. "God I missed ya mate." He said as they disentangled themselves to find Annie standing with her phone out giggling.

"Too good not to be caught on camera." She laughed and Will and Dan both rolled their eyes.

"I'll get her for that, don't worry." Will joked and he smiled genuinely at Dan. "It's great to have you back mate. If it was any other time then I'd say come over for a few drinks but tonight…I think Annie and Emz have enough going on. It's so good to see you though. We'll catch up once everything's sorted yeah?" He said as he reluctantly turned to leave.

"Oh mate…there was one thing. You got a spare room I can rent?" Dan asked cheekily.

"Only for you." Will muttered as he tossed Dan his keys. "Not the attic one, that's Annie's now. But the other one has been free for oh I don't know…the past fourteen/fifteen years." He laughed as Dan cracked another grin.

Half an hour later Will parked his car and made his way up the steps to Annie and Emma's flat. "I think Emma's sleeping so will we just make tea and watch some telly?" Will asked, not feeling like he should be the one telling Annie what to do in her own home.

"Course Dad…what do you want…I think we've got pasta…and pasta…and more pasta!" She giggled as she rifled through the cupboards.

"Pasta it is honey." He called softly from the living room where he was making room on the sofa for them both. After several hours of rubbish TV and too much to eat Annie tilted her head up to look at Will.

"Dad…why do you think Mum lied to me?" Annie whispered as she snuggled her head into his side.

"I don't know sweetie…I think she was really scared and didn't want people finding out about me and her. She was supposed to be getting married to Matt and he wasn't very nice. I think she couldn't see another way out but honey she loves you so much, she just wanted to protect you." Will said as he ruffled her hair.

"I was scared, I didn't know what else to do…I wanted to tell you so bad Annie, it's been eating away at me for fourteen years." Emma's voice said from the door and both of them whipped round. She walked forwards and perched beside Annie on the sofa.

"But why? Did you not love Dad?" Annie asked and Emma sighed, a lone tear running down her cheek.

"I loved him too much sweetie, that was the problem. I couldn't hurt him by telling him we were having a baby but I couldn't be with him because I was already engaged. It seemed like I couldn't do a thing without hurting somebody else and I didn't want to cause any more pain so I ran away and nobody saw me again…until today." She said and Will's jaw dropped open.

All these years, all this time he'd presumed it was because she didn't love him and couldn't bear the thought of having to share Annie with him or bringing her up as someone else's baby. "But you hurt Dad by running away, he still misses you, he hasn't even had a proper girlfriend since you!" Annie exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around Emma.

"Oi quiet you, I don't need everybody hearing all my secrets thank you very much." Will said as he tapped Annie lightly on the arm so she giggled into Emma's side.

"I'm sorry for what I did to both of you…but…but we all know the truth now so maybe we can give Annie a proper family life…with both a Mum and a Dad." Emma said and a breath caught in Annie's throat. "After all, now you've met it's not like I can stop you seeing each other." She continued.

Looking down at the photo that was still clutched in her hand Annie smiled. Will and Emma's faces looked up at her as they had done to the person holding the camera all those years ago. Emma was sitting on Will's shoulders, their hands joined and their faces with identical expressions on them. Hugging it tight to her chest Annie wished that they could become like that once again. Annie pulled both of her parents towards her, getting squished in the middle.

"I love you Dad…I love you Mum." She whispered as she was tucked in between the two of them.

"We love you Annie." Will and Emma chorused as they both shut their eyes sleepily, their arms around what the assumed to be their teenage daughter but in fact, they'd both overstretched and had their arms wrapped around each other.

**You should never fight your feelings  
When your very bones believe them  
You should never fight your feelings  
You have to follow nature's law**


	9. Keeping Will

_**Ta to the two who reviewed, you know who you are and I love ya both :P Emzii :P for once you didn't give me a kick up the arse when I needed it so this fic began like at least six months ago and only ended like a few weeks ago! Hehe sorry that I dragged it out over all that time, musta been a lil frustrating but I got there in the end! Enjoy!**_

_Annie smiled as she recalled the last few months since she and Will had saved Emma's life on top of the multi storey car park. After that things had improved greatly for everyone involved, especially Emma. She had been prescribed stronger anti-depressants and with the added bonus of having Will to help her out with Annie, she had more time to do things that they both enjoyed and that cheered them up. Although she still had to make regular trips to a psychiatrist, she was slowly coming off her medication and so far, it was all looking pretty good. _

_Everyone around Emma noticed the huge difference in her behaviour and Annie's as well. At school, Annie's grades had improved, as had her attendance. She was more contented and had pulled away from some of her old friends, sticking to the ones who wouldn't pressure her into drink and drugs and the other things that would no doubt send her back onto the downward spiral. She had both a loving Mum and Dad and although they weren't together, she saw enough of them both to be kept more than happy. _

_The friendship between Will and Emma continued to re-grow, much to Annie and Dan's delight. Many an evening was spent with the four of them just lying about watching TV and chatting companionably at Will's house. Dan continued to rent the spare room and Annie was beginning to see him as some sort of second Dad. It was funny to think that a few months previously she hadn't had one…and now it felt like she had two!_

_Sam and Phil's relationship was going from strength to strength and after Annie had 'accidentally' let it slip to Dan about their little secret, it had been spread about the station but embraced by the happy couple who couldn't really deny their romantic involvement any longer as they were also living together! Although at first it was frowned upon by their superiors, they were both focussed enough on their work for it not to cause any problems and in fact, Sam was proving to be a good influence as Phil regularly turned up for work on time now!_

"Annie?" Will called up the stairs to her bedroom. "Annie teas ready come down before Dan eats all yours!" He added as a threat that never failed to draw her from her new room and down to the kitchen table where Dan in deed was always sitting eyeing the portion on Annie's plate with great interest.

"Coming Dad." She yelled as she pushed herself back from her desk where her scrapbook was lying open. "Tell Dan that if he doesn't keep his paws off my food then he'll have none left." Annie laughed as she backed down the ladder and out into the hallway.

Dan scowled as he retracted his hand which was sliding across the table towards her plate as she entered the room. "There's plenty for all of you." Emma scolded as she sat down next to Dan, slapping his outstretched hand which was now grappling for her own plate.

"Oh! Hi Mum…I didn't know you were here." Annie smiled as she sat down across from Emma at the table. Blushing slightly Emma ducked the question by turning to grab another of the dishes that was piled high with food and passing it across the table to Will. Shrugging Annie sighed and grabbed the last piece of bread from the basket before Dan could get there.

After dinner Annie kissed Emma on the forehead in goodbye as she was supposed to be staying over at Will's that night before she disappeared back upstairs to her bedroom. "Why does she spent so much time holed up in there just now?" Emma asked inquisitively as she heard the trapdoor of her daughter's room slam shut.

"Boyfriend?" Dan offered with his mouth half full.

"Na…some sort of project for school I think. She's got to do some book about her family. It's way overdue though but she didn't really feel she could do it before I mean she barely even knew anything about your side of the family anyway…let alone my side. I gave her some of my stuff…and yours that I had from ages ago." Will smiled as he collected the dishes up and put them away neatly in the dishwasher as Emma sat back and watched him potter about like an old woman.

Sighing as she pressed her cheek against the rough paper Annie sighed. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy finding out about her family that she'd previously known so little about, it was the fact that there was just so much that she didn't know. So much that she'd missed out on. Raising her head slightly Annie noticed a large envelope that was lying on her bed which hadn't been there last time she'd checked. Scooting her chair across the floor to the bed Annie pounced on it, upending the contents over her bedspread and turning them over one by one to get a better look. On the back of each photo in her father's handwriting she read the little inscriptions, pointless details that he'd taken the time to write down presumably as a reminder of better times. There were work nights out, ones taken at Dan's old flat, a few mismatched ones and then a smaller stack which were bound together with an elastic band. A small yellow post-it note was attached to the front with someone else's untidy scrawl across it. 'Emma childhood photos?' She read, peeling it off slowly before she began flicking through the photos. Staring up at the camera were shots of a girl who looked so uncannily like Annie when she'd been that young it was almost frightening. There were some of Emma with her Mum and Dad, one with what could only be her sister and then another, one that remained a puzzle to Emma. There was a small scan photograph. Setting it aside Annie frowned…why would Emma have her own scan photo? So she picked it up.

'Emma Keane 11/09/1991' Picking at her thumbnail Annie tossed this information over and over in her mind. 1991…that was only about sixteen years ago which meant that this was Annie's scan! Smiling down at her little embryo self Annie brushed her fingers across the photographs, one of the few solid connections she had with her family roots.

As her eyes started to grow heavy Annie climbed down the ladder again and padded across the hallway towards the living room. Standing in the doorway she yawned, stopping half way as she clapped eyes on the sight in front of her. Dan was nowhere to be seen but instead on the two-seater sofa Will and Emma were lying in each others arms kissing passionately. "Mum? Dad?" Annie asked incredulously and the pair tore themselves away from each other, leaving Annie with the puzzle as to who was more embarrassed…her or them? "Something you care to share?"

"Um yeah…Annie your Dad and I…well we're back together." Emma smiled up at her daughter, holding her arms out for a cuddle.

"Oh Mum why didn't you say before?" Annie gushed as she curled up beside them on the sofa, her head resting on Emma's normally flat stomach. "Wait…" She paused, lifting her head and pressing her hand to Emma's stomach where she felt a faint jab at her hand.

Will cleared his throat putting a hand on Emma's shoulder. "Yeah…we were going to tell you that too. Annie…you're going to have a little brother or sister in about six months time." He laughed as Annie's mouth flew open in shock.

"Oh…my…god!" Annie shrieked as she flew forwards at Will, rugby tackling him as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. "Thank you thank you thank you." She grinned twirling round and round in his arms.

"Hey squirt we didn't organise this just for you yano." Will laughed putting Annie down and moving sideways to wrap his arms around Emma's waist, rubbing her belly gently to soothe the baby's kicks.

"I know…I just…I can't believe that we're gonna be a proper family again." Annie sighed happily as she wrapped her arms around all three of them. "What about Dan though?"

"Oh I'm sure there's room for the five of us here." Will smiled kissing the top of Emma's head as he saw Dan standing in the door. "He's always welcome."

You should never fight your feelings  
When your very bones believe them  
You should never fight your feelings  
**You have to follow nature's law**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed this fic at some point, it means a lot to me that you kept reading even if you didn't keep commenting. I hope you liked the ending, I was in the mood for some fluff so that's how it all turned out...it was touch and go for a while when Emma was on top of the building, thank god I was in a good mood the day I wrote that chapter otherwise we might have had a funeral scene!!! Emz will testify that I have been known to mood swing my fics and make them pretty bloody and horrible when I'm having a bad day :P sorry for that babes :P But yeah in debt to all who gave their views thanks for making this better than I thought it would turn out. Love yas xx**


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